Maeve
by SillyOldThing
Summary: A story about how Reid might be dealing with the death of Maeve.
1. Chapter 1

**Maeve**

I do not own Criminal minds

'Sometimes things become possible if we want them bad enough,' ~TS Eliot.

XXXXX

Reid thought he could hear strange noises in his apartment, like muted voices and laughter, As he turned the key in the lock there was a sudden complete silence.

He opened his door carefully and slowly entered the darkened room. He took a few steps forward and looked warily from side to side; he couldn't really see anything but he could feel the presence of others in the room.

"Hello….anyone here?" he said quietly.

"Shh" said a soft voice "hold still" He felt a silky material cover his eyes. It made his heart quicken.

A gentle hand took hold of his and pulled him into the room.

"SURPRISE"!

Reid stumbled back in shock, the lights sprang on, he pulled the blindfold off and he saw he was surrounded by a couple of dozen smiling people.

His shocked reaction was greeted with laughter.

"Maeve, what have you done?" Spencer asked, both pleased and embarrassed at the same time.

"It's a surprise party just for you, I told you I would make blindfolds fun again," she told him.

He pulled her into an embrace as his eyes scanned the room.

"I don't believe it, Maeve, these people! " His voice was filled with awe.

"I know," she said nodding. "It took a while, but you said you wished you could have met all these people,"

He looked around in wonderment, "Albert Einstein, Isaac Asimov and hey isn't that Madame Curie talking to…"

Yes, Nicola Tesla and Julia Child," Maeve finished, "She helped me with tonight's menu; Julia Child I mean, not Madame Curie."

Reid beamed at the love of his life. "I love you so much," he said.

"I love you too Spencer, now c'mon I want you to meet Sir Arthur Conan Doyle," she said, her eyes flashing with excitement.

Reid laughed and let Maeve guide him across the room; he had never felt so happy.

XXXXXX

The only sound that could be heard was the drone of the jet's engines as it sped across the darkened sky toward home.

The three older men of the BAU sat in the rear of the jet.

"Look at Reid; It looks like he's smiling in his sleep "said Rossi as he nodded toward the young profiler curled up on the jet's couch.

"At least he gets to smile sometimes" said Morgan.

Hotch studied the young man a minute before he spoke.

"Does it seem to anyone else that Reid is sleeping more and more now?" he said.

Rossi and Morgan both frowned.

"Maybe a little I guess. Can't blame him after what he's been through. He'll be back to himself eventually," said Morgan.

Rossi could make out rapid eye movement under Reid's lids and the noted the serene expression on the young agents face.

"I hope you're right Morgan"

XXXX

The evening in Reid's apartment was winding down. The haunting notes of Beethoven's _'Fur_ _Elise'_ filled the air as the grey haired maestro tinkered on Reid's electronic keyboard. Several guests gathered around to listen while others went to watch the chess match between Oscar Wilde and PT Barnum.

Reid and Maeve sat snuggled together on his well-worn leather sofa.

"The evening is almost over," said Maeve wistfully.

"I don't want it to be over" Reid said as he pulled Maeve closer to him.

"Can't you hear it?" she said. The sound of a jet engine could be heard in the distance.

Reid laid his head against her shoulder and covered one ear with his hand.

"I'm not listening; I want to stay with you."

Maeve held him tighter and kissed the side of his head, "I want that too."

FIN.

AN: Please read and review.


	2. Chapter 2

**Paris**

'_I can't help if I'm still in love with you'_~ Hank Williams

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"Don't laugh at me Spencer Reid, you're just as excited as I am" scolded Maeve.

Spencer wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"I'm not laughing at you, and yes I am just as excited," he replied.

"Well you should be, our first vacation together. Oh can you imagine, the art, the culture, the food!, " she enthused as she snuggled in his arms.

"Uh huh" he said. At that moment he was starting to feel more excited standing where he was, inhaling the scent of Maeve's hair and the feel of her slender body pressed up against his.

She saw the dreamy expression on his face and gave him a playful shove.

"Oh you're not even paying attention. We have to be at the airport so early and we haven't finished packing."

She held up a nightgown in each hand.

"Which one should I take?" she asked.

Spencer looked from one to the other and shrugged "I don't know, it doesn't matter what you wear to bed."

Maeve considered for a moment and then tossed them both over her shoulder.

"You're right, naked is so much healthier, wouldn't you agree Dr. Reid?" She said with a sly smile.

Reid felt his face heating up. "Completely, Dr. Donovan, completely."

XXXXXX

Rossi knew immediately where to find the ICU. He had made this trip too many times in his life.

He saw Hotch standing at the end of the hall. He was alone; his face was as impassive as usual, never betraying the emotions he might be feeling. He turned as he seemed to know instinctively that Dave was only a few feet away.

"Aaron, Morgan called and told me he found him at his apartment. He didn't say much else, what's going on?" Rossi said

Hotch slowly shook his head.

"They can't wake him up, he won't wake up." He said.

Rossi frowned, not quite grasping what Hotch was saying.

"What do you mean? Is he sick, in a coma, is it drugs?" A thousand different possibilities were flying through his head.

XXX

A day and a half ago Reid had not shown up for work. No one was terribly concerned at first. They called his cell and his landline, there was no answer. Morgan had gone to his apartment and banged on the door, he eventually left, thinking Spencer just wasn't home. He thought perhaps Reid had been called away to Vegas on an emergency and had neglected to call.

When he didn't show up the second day in a row and still there was no phone call, worry began to set in. Morgan got the building super to open Reid's door. It was eerily silent when he entered the apartment. There was nothing out of place and the place seemed unusually neat.

An icy chill went up Morgan's spine when he went into the bedroom and found Reid lying on his bed, flat on his back wearing nothing but a t-shirt and boxers. He had a tranquil expression on his face and his hands were folded neatly over his stomach.

He rushed over and felt for a pulse. His skin was cold but there was a slow and steady heartbeat. Spencer was alive yet when Morgan shook him and called his name there was no response.

"Call an ambulance!" he yelled to the super.

Morgan tried to not panic. He looked at the crook of Spencer's elbows and all he saw were old faded scars. He quickly searched the bedroom, looking for signs of drugs of any kind. There was nothing.

He heard the sound of sirens

"What have you done Pretty boy," Morgan had whispered.

XXXX

"It's none of those things Rossi"

Hotch and Rossi turned around at the sound of Morgan's voice.

He looked more weary and sad than either man had ever seen him.

"It's not drugs he's not in a coma, his blood tests are clean." he told them.

"Then what the hell is it?" demanded Rossi. Rossi was not fond of mysteries he felt helpless to solve.

"They don't know, they're taking him for a MRI right now"

"What do we do?"

Hotch who had been silent up till now sat down on one of the waiting room chairs.

"We just wait" he said.

XXXXX

It was a beautiful night; from the balcony of their hotel room you could see the Eiffel tower lit up and almost as brilliant as the moon.

Reid sat up in bed and in the darkness he could see the silhouette of Maeve standing in the window, she was admiring the view.

He felt a great relief on seeing her. He had felt uneasy lately. There had been this constant buzzing in his ear that he tried to ignore and thankfully he was starting to hear it less and less. This made him happy as did the way the moonlight played on Maeve's delicate features and body.

She turned and smiled at him.

"Isn't it beautiful," she said.

"Takes my breath away," he replied.

Fin

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	3. Chapter 3

**Shadows**

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

'_Everything gives cause for either laughter or tears_ ~ Seneca.

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The first thing Derek Morgan saw when he approached the hospital room was Penelope Garcia, sitting in a chair knitting. She had pulled the chair close to the bed and would glance up every now and then at Reid and then continue her needlework. One would think she'd have something better to do on a day off, but here she was just like she had been for the past four weeks, sitting by Reid's side waiting for him to wake up.

Morgan entered the room; on the bed Reid lay motionless and silent, still locked inside that great mind of his.

Spencer had been like this for a month. He was hooked up to several monitors that measured his breathing and recorded his brain activity. He was fed intravenously and could breathe on his own but showed no sign of alertness.

He did not respond to stimulation of any kind; though that did not stop his friends and colleagues from trying. Blake would read to him, Garcia would hold his hand and plead with him to wake up. Morgan helped the nurses with the physical therapy so his muscles would not atrophy. JJ brought CDs and played Beethoven that he loved and other music she was pretty sure Reid would hate, hoping he would suddenly sit up and demand she turn it off. Rossi would come in the evenings and just talk to him, carrying on a one sided conversation.

The only one who did not visit was Hotch. No one questioned him about it. Hotch may have been the only one of them who realized how tempting it was to retreat forever into a dark world of dreams and fantasy. He remembered how during his surgery how he longed to stay with Hayley, how difficult it was to leave her. The difference was Hotch had Jack and Beth in his life. They anchored him safely to this side. Who did Reid have?

"How's it goin baby girl, anything new?" Morgan asked.

Garcia put down her knitting and smiled sadly "No, though I left when they came in to bathe him and change his catheter, I think they would have said something if anything changed,"

Morgan walked over to the bed. Reid was much paler and thinner now; he wouldn't have thought it possible.

"Hey kid, enough already we need you," He leaned down and spoke directly into Reid's ear.

"What are we going to do Derek?" Garcia said as she went to the other side of the bed. She squeezed Spencer's hand hoping she would feel him squeeze back, but his hand remained limp and lifeless. She blinked back tears.

"He looks like sleeping beauty," she said with a small laugh.

Derek smiled at her "Maybe you should try giving him a kiss," he teased.

"Believe me, if I thought it would work I would."

"What would work?" said a familiar voice. They turned their heads to see Emily Prentiss standing in the room with them.

"Emily, you're here," cried Garcia. She let go of Reid's hand and rushed over to embrace her.

Morgan left Reid's side to greet his old friend and colleague.

If he had remained in place one second longer he would have seen the expression on Reid's face alter just for a micro second.

XXXX

Spencer put his book down and grimaced.

"What's wrong Spencer?" asked Maeve.

Reid gave his head a shake "Nothing really, just that buzzing sound again."

Maeve stroked the side of his face "Anything I can do?" she asked, concerned.

Reid shook his head "No, just stay here with me,"

FIN

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	4. Chapter 4

**Voices**

I do not own Criminal Minds

XXXXX

'_And there is even a happiness that makes the heart afraid.'_ Thomas Hood.

XXXXXX

Emily made herself as comfortable as she could in the hard chair they provided for visitors in Reid's hospital room. The team was away on a case and it was just the two of them.

"Hello Reid," she said brightly, as if the situation were normal.

It wasn't anywhere near normal.

She reached over and brushed the hair out of his eyes. "Getting long" she murmured.

She took a long drink of her coffee and sighed. She was using her vacation time to come here and sit by his side. It killed her to know that this had happened to him. Reid had been in some sort of self-induced catatonic state for the last 4 weeks.

While she was in London, she usually kept up with what was happening with the team through JJ or Garcia. They both told her that Reid seemed to be doing ok , that he was getting over his loss. She had wanted to believe them, but there was a part of her that didn't, that knew better. In her experience, Reid didn't do anything like other people. Those massive grey cells of his worked at a level nobody else could begin to understand.

She leaned over and brought her coffee close to his nose.

"Your favorite coffee Spencer, wake up and I'll buy you all the coffee you can drink".

The strong sweet brew did not rouse him in the least. "Worth a try," she said to herself.

She moved her chair and turned on the TV.

"Ok handsome, what do we watch today, hmm, how about Downton Abbey?"

Emily put her feet up on the bed and took hold of Reid's hand and squeezed.

"I'll let you pick the show tomorrow night," she said softly.

XXXXX

Reid and Maeve swayed together in each other's arms; they were in the library in Oxford. The music playing was some old hit from the fifties. Their slim bodies molded together were a perfect fit.

Reid had started out by just indulging Maeve in her love of dancing, but now he was beginning to love it too. It was a chance to savour the feeling of being close, of touching her. What was it that Rossi had said? _,'Just go with it Spencer'_

He could smell a familiar sweet scent, he just couldn't place what it was.

"Are you wearing perfume today," He asked Maeve.

She smiled at him. "No, not at all"

He bent down to kiss her on the lips when he caught the scent of something else."

"Coffee." He mumbled against her mouth.

Maeve began to giggle. She leaned her head back "You sure get thirsty at funny times."

"No, I can smell coffee," he said, frowning.

"Of course you can, he's bringing us our drinks now". A white haired man in a dark suit was walking toward them with a tray.

She pointed to a dark corner of the library "Let's have our coffee over there." She took him by the hand and led him deeper in the room.

Spencer felt an overwhelming relief. It was quieter now and he could no longer smell the perfume. His eyes met Maeve's.

"I love you," he said.

"and I love you too."

XXXXX

The nurse smiled when she saw that the dark haired woman was visiting patient Reid again. There was something more soothing about her presence than the others.

The two other women who came talked to him like he was a child. One of the men was a little too gung ho and the older guy, well she caught him drinking Scotch out of a Styrofoam cup.

She tapped Emily on the shoulder, "maybe you should head out for some dinner dear. I need to change his gown and his IV,"

Emily stood and stretched, her muscles were stiff, she definitely needed to step out for a while.

"Ok Reid. I'm heading out for dinner, but I'll come back later and read to you,"

She bent over to kiss him on the forehead like she usually did except this time she stopped and pressed a soft kiss on his lips instead. She moved back and searched his face. Nothing changed. She noticed the nurse watching her and felt a little sheepish.

"It's ok, the stimulation is good for him," she said, sensing Emily's embarrassment.

"Apparently not good enough," she sighed.

She slung her purse over her shoulder and made a mental note to try and speak to Spencer's doctor tomorrow. There had to be something more they could do.

"See you later," she said.

Silence was her only response.

Fin.

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